The Reiki Cafe 

Namaste!
Guys-what si grounding, what are it's benefits and how do I achieve it?

Thanks
Sid

Namaste Sid,

Grounding is making sure we stay connected to the Earth's energies whilst allowing us to do other energy work....Reiki, meditation etc. One benefit is that any excess or unwanted energy can be channelled straight into the ground.

An easy way to ground yourself is to focus your attention on the soles of your feet and to visualise roots growing from your feet deep into the earths core. Or walking barefoot on grass or hugging a tree...these are all ways to ground ourselves.

Hope this helps :)

Love,light and blessings
Helen.

Namaste, Sid ~

I am not going to be of ANY help to you my friend, but I have a question regarding "being grounded" also... An RM online was talking to me and told me that they could sense I was "grounded". Had no idea then, or now, what was meant.

Input please?

Peace. Sands

PS: Missed you all this week!

Sands,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

People make all sorts of claims online. :-}}

- To say someone is grounded can mean that the person is "in touch" with their relationship to the Universe - which, of course includes the Earth.

:-}}

- Grounded also suggests that the person seems to have achieved a certain balance between the energies of the upper and lower chakras.

:-}}

Reiki all around,

all blessings,

Firekeeper

Namaste, Firekeeper ~

thank you for explaining that to me. From reading the postings I had been trying to relate my online conversation to grounding energy through soles of ones feet. Doh...! A quantum leap even for me.... LOL

I am going to have to go to Vinny's to find out more about the upper and lower chakras, amongst other words that I want to clarify. I just cannot seem to find out what "hara" means, or its location. <sigh>

Peace. Sands

Sands,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

The Hara line is is an energy connection that can be enhanced - which runs from the Tanden into the core of the Earth - or the other way around.

:-}}

Balancing of the upper (non-red) and the lower (red) chakras may be enhanced with certain practices - Red and White Tantric Yoga come to mind right now - red and white being the "elements" for which balance is sought.

Hope this helps,

Reiki all around,

all blessings,

Firekeeper

Namaste, Firekeeper ~

I believe you just "swooshed" me! lol Definately time to go back to Vinnys, and learn some more!!

I will show my ignorance and ask this though....is the energy connection to the core of the earth that can be reversed the same energy that people have grounded? Seriously, as this is what comes to my mind.

It isn't making sense to me. :(

Peace. Sands

I don't believe that with Reiki you have to worry about excess energy or negative energy etc. Reiki doesn't work that way. It always brings in the right energy in the right balance for whoever is receiving it - never too much or the wrong kind.

However, some people can feel woosey or floaty when they do Reiki - it takes time to be able to integrate the energy - I think it actually alters our brainwave patterns slightly so we can tap into Reiki energy and until we get used to the new brainwaves you can feel a bit muddled in the head. I used to enjoy the floaty feeling but as years have passed that feeling happens less and less and I find I am alert and clear headed when I do Reiki these days.

I now have noticed that if I think negative thoughts I get a "hurting" feeling in my head. It is as though the negative thoughts pull at my brainwaves and take them out of sync. For that I use the CKR to clear away the thoughts and begin thinking positively again.

Grounding is used in Reiki to cope with that floaty feeling. The best way I found was to draw the HSZN on the sole of each foot. Amazing how clear and bright you can feel.

Reiki blessings, Tara

Sands,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

Grounding is, essentially, a method (however one does this) to maintain "balance". Some will also use grounding to channel off un-wanted "stuff".

- my preference is not to mix the two. My preference is to open a "drain" for unwanted stuff and leave any grounding channels free of this "contamination". That is for my benefit.

The energy of the Earth can be channelled into the body - this is one of the basic practices in the first levels of Iron Shirt Chi Kung - essentially designed to strengthen the body and all the organs against injury. Without these underpinnings none of the more advances techniques may be done (without potential dire injury).

- yes, if one is practiced, one may draw upon the Earth energy through the grounding channel to bolster one's energy during sessions. :-}}

- this is why I do not mix grounding and clearing channles - I do not want to chance recycling unwanted stuff back- though this is not very likely it can happen - depending on how quickly the unwanted stuff clears out of the energy connection.

Hope this helps,

reiki all around,

all blessings,

Firekeeper

Could grounding be compared to the "rooting" from Chinese internal martial arts?

Or the ki "trick" unliftable body from aikido?

Sid

Namaste, Firekeeper ~

thank you for taking so much time to explain this to me. I do appreciate your kindness.

However, this now brings other questions to mind ...

1) Is grounding meant for connecting to earth energy, or to rid oneself of the unwanted stuff?

2) If everyone learns this as a basic practice, arent they also taught this, at the same time, to use another "portal" (if you will) as a drain?

3) By "unwanted stuff" are you referring to negativity - whether it is from contaminated artificial outerwear, or more than that?? (I am thinking primarily of Jasanines question about jewellry and some other postings here.)

However this is where my confusion lies, in reality. From my understanding Reiki is NOW, nothing more or less. Why the need for crystals, spices (smudging), grounding, sending Reiki to situations/places? It is goodness that can do no harm, and only as one needs/wants - all the other seems superflous to me...

Probably because i'm not attuned, I am missing something? I hope you all realize my questions/thoughts are definately not meant in a flippant manner?

Peace. Sands

Namaste, Tara ~

thank you for sharing your personal experience and knowledge with me. I do appreciate it. Sometimes I feel like a sponge here ... :) I think I just agreed with you in my posting to dear Firekeeper incidentally....

Not being attuned I don't know what the CKR or HSZN is, although I have seen them referred to in postings, so I have an inkling. When in doubt here I go to Vinnys site and read to find answers, which I will be doing shortly. :)

Peace. Sands

Sands,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

Yes, grounding is to connect to the Earth, essentially.

No, one does not need to be grounding to open a "drain" portal.

Reiki is not the only energy that may be operating during a treatment or any other time.

We do not need "protection" from reiki but we may need help with other unwanted stuff.

Unwanted energy is anythng you don't want within your energy field or body.

There are people giving attunements (hands-on or distance) who, apparently, know little or nothing about grounding, channelling off unwanted stuff, hand positions, treatment strategies, etc. etc -

Some would say it is from such folk we need protection.

:-}}

Hope this helps.

Reiki all around,

all blessings

Firekeeper

Sid
I first got the message and importance of grouding
while meditating and sitting against a wall. What I didn't know is that I was also within six to eight inches of an electrical socket. I can tell you for a fact that that very night I found out the importance and reason for grounding.
I don't suggest this for everone but I still meditate near an electrical socket. If I've grounded myself properly, I'm OK. If I've not grounded myself properly ...
let's just say
IT'S NOT NICE TO FOOL WITH MOTHER NATURE !!!
T2

Dear Firekeeper,

Namaste! As little as I "know" about Reiki, I have to agree with you..There are teachers out there who are passing incomplete information in Reiki classes or adding other modalities & presenting it as if it were Reiki. It is wise to research Reiki before & after attunements.
Some become "bored" with Reiki & want to add something to it. Some want to make it more than it is or less than it is. There are those that mold Reiki to suit their own needs & desires. Reiki is so simple that most of us miss understanding it even when we practice it.
What we most need protection from is ourselves... our fears and our egos provide more negative energy than anything the world around us offers.
The most simple & beautiful things of the world are usually the first to be corrupted.
As practitioners, we must resist the urge to turn Reiki into the next "trend" & seek instead to pass on its simple quiet beauty.

Thank you, Firekeeper, for being "old fashioned" in your approach. I, for one, appreciate it!!!

peace, love & joy,
holobon

holobon
Your statement the most simple and beautiful things of this world are usually the first to be corrupted, has struck a cord. There's a tibetian philosophy that we are
all empty. Our core (spirit) is like the contents of a vase. The porcelan that the vase is made from, is not part of the contents of the vase, yet it still holds the contents.
As we heal using Reiki, we seek to let positive and negitive energy pass through us promoting healing, without attaching to us. A fluid or substance doesn't change the vase unless we don't clean the vase after we use it. I'm sure you now understand why we dry bath before healing and also enter cleansing periods after healings from time to time. Our compassion for our fellow sendiants compels us to take on their problems if we're not alert, and never forget that that opportunity always exists.
Namasta
T2

Namaste, Firekeeper ~

Your time and patience in explaining this has been too kind.

Incidentally, I wasn't thinking that one needed "protection" from Reiki - that boggled my bonce! ;)
Nor the drain being needed when grounding, but thanks for the clarification of both issues.

In retrospect I can understand the need for some to need things to help to focus and, I apologize, as I wasn't thinking. Without meaning to beat this to a pulp, can you explain the neccesity for "smudging", please?

Peace. Sands

Sands,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

OK, one more time. :-}}

Smudging is useful to clear away unwanted energy, "presences", etc.

It can be used to prepare a space for ritual or healing work. It can be used to clear an area and people and objects of unwanted energies.

Now, some people are suffieciently adept that they can do all that clearing without incense smudging. So why use it? Tradition, it smells nice (usually) :-}},less of one's own energy is needed for the clearing work, etc.

Also, use of incense is an "offering" to Spirit.

There are also plenty of websites which discuss smudging. I am sure they can explain it far better than I - (maybe).

bagl :-}}

Reiki all around,

all blessings,

firekeeper

holobon,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

How are you?? :-}}

Quite correct. When people are not engaged in Compassionate Action the less selfless aspects have the potential for all sorts of "mischief".

Others may need protection from us as well as ourselves.

:-}}

Moi?? Olde Fashioned?? I will tell Coyote of your compliments.

bagl.

The practices Usui Sensei re-animated have been, in one form or another, part and parcel of ancient Tibetan and Hindu shamanic practices for aeons.

:-}}

So all you reiki practitioners out there, wherever you are, someday someone may rightfully refer to you as Shaman - I hope you will all be prepared for that Moment.

bagl.

reiki all around,

all blessings,

Firekeeper

Namaste, Firekeeper ~

okay (FINALLY!!!) the reasons stated are acceptable enough.

I will bow to your wisdom, patience and kindness.

Thank you very much. :)

Peace. Sands

Sandsok,

Hi, my friend!! I come from a religous/family background in which smudging would be regarded as a kind of pagan superstitious thing...Chuckle, chuckle ( well, why DO they use insence during high masses? Hmmm?).
The first time I burned sage, I was very pleased with how it made me feel...and when I do it now, I do indeed feel cleansed & in a more "sacred" space. I cant explain it to you, its like Reiki, you just have to "do it" to understand it!!!

Namaste!
holobon

Sands,

/*\ namaste :-}}

Whew!! :-}}

A Teacher once observed that a student cannot be made to swallow anythng - but sometimes a little more pre-chewing helps.

:-}}

Acceptable? :-}}

- Smudging is an ancient and useful shamanic practice - Ego does not alter that fact.

;-}}

Reiki all around,

all blessings,

Firekeeper

Namaste,

Honored to be called shaman. To be counted among the ancestors is honor. But is not shaman not just another name for energy worker?

Carolyn

Namaste, Holobon ~

How are you, my friend?!! I also remember the overpowering incense used (wafting almost like on a "seek and choke" mission to me as a kid) from the chalices during High Mass ...

Have never burnt sage, but I imagine its very soothing, as cooking with it the aroma is also. So good to see you!

Peace. Sands

ROFLMAO!

Sid